Effect of long-term alternate-day corticosteroids on cardiac function in children

ABSTRACT

The effect of long-term alternate-day corticosteroid therapy on the cardiac function in children was assessed through studying the left ventricular performance using electrocardiography and echocardiography. The study included 10 children diagnosed as minimal change nephrotic syndrome before starting therapy [group 1]. 20 children with corticosteroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome on prolonged alternate-day corticosteroid therapy [group II] and 10 normal controls [group III]. The results showed that long-term steroid therapy had no evident effect on the electrical activity of the myocardium nor on the systolic [contractile] function of the left ventricle. Impaired myocardial compliance was suggested by the decreased mean values of the maximum diastolic endocardial velocity and the anterior mitral valve diastolic-closing velocity